When you go to your mailbox do you get excited to see the alumni magazine there? I do — please think of me as there will be another issue on the horizon. I am making a plea for you to send me news, no matter how ordinary you think it is. Before proceeding with “people” news, here is some news of campus happenings.
On the editorial page in April was a long, exceptional letter written by Joan Ferrini-Mundy, the president of UMaine and its regional campus in Machias. She is also vice chancellor for research at the UMaine System. She thanked both the top seated UMaine Women’s Basketball team and the Black Bear Men’s Hockey teams, as they both earned spots in the NCAA tournaments. She labeled it a “simply extraordinary season.”
The Alfond Foundation has donated another $80 million for UMaine facilities, including athletic improvements. In our days we went to a lot of basketball games to cheer on Dick Sturgeon ’66G and others.
Our Sandra J. Page Academic/Athletic Scholarship Fund’s ending market value in February was $380,185. The distribution for the coming fiscal year is $11,682.
Reporting from Hawaii at holiday time, Rick Lloyd said he had held his final gathering of the Aloha Region of the Antique Automobile Association of America, classic car club of Hawaii. He managed the club for the past five years as its president. He and adopted classmate Herbert are in good health and said that he has likely made his last trip to Maine for Reunion. Rick never missed a Reunion, to my knowledge, and is a rock in support of the Class of ’60.
Fred and Diane Tatlock Pierce were in Hawaii last winter. On Christmas Day they joined friends and families on the beach to watch the sunset. Their condo escaped the Maui wildfires, and their church contributed millions to help those who lost homes. They came home to Las Vegas in April and will move to new senior housing in Plano, TX, in the fall, as it is still under construction. They will be much nearer their children and grandchildren, who have increased in number.
Donna Fritz Brunstad and husband, Bill Sweeney, are in North Branford, CT, after moving back from Portland, OR, to be nearer their families. Donna serves on the steering committee of their senior housing community. They are now nearer to Orono and hopefully will come to reunions.
Judith Clark Rankin lives in Appleton, WI, and was an English and history major as well as a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She made a career of real estate for the past 25 years. Now she enjoys volunteer work as a chauffeuse for the local hospital and transports patients to and fro.
Sally Jean Wakefield went on yet another trip to the west coast and Alaska. As a graduation gift to her two grandsons who recently graduated from the University of Florida, they went on a cruise. One is off to study for a doctorate and the other to a corporate job. Last summer on a trip to Maine, she, Nancy Small Russell, Jim ’59, and I enjoyed lobster at the tugboat in Boothbay Harbor.
Nancy Morse Dysart in Carmel was stranded for five days after our April Fools storm, which took down large trees on the way to her home on Horseback Road. As you read in Ace Conro’s ’63G recent letter, she is chairman of our next class Reunion and is considering Portland. She asks anyone who went to Boothbay for last year’s pre-Orono gathering to contact her at (207) 848-3831. This will be our 65th Reunion and most of us will be 86.
David Ferris ’76G and wife, Romelle, are at The Villages in Florida during the winter and on to Shoreview, near St. Paul, MN, in summer. This year, along with Dee Gardner ’89 at the UMaine Foundation, he set up “a completely unique and different program.” His heart is totally into the establishment of a fund for returning veterans to transition back to UMaine for continuing education. If you would like to contribute to this, contact the Foundation. In winter David stays very active — he and Romelle golf three times a week and he walks two miles the other days.
As for me I moved just over a year ago to Hawthorne Court, which is owned and managed by the town. I had my name on a waiting list for six years and now have a lovely smaller place with garage and patio. For years I have enjoyed collecting antiques and gourmet cooking and entertaining friends. My book club meets monthly at the local library. The town does a lot of extra things for the seniors here and the condos are completely cared for by them.
In summer I have old fashioned baked bean dinners with pies and the fixings, using my flowers and herbs.
The sun is always shining somewhere and never believe there isn’t magic in the world.
Just me, Gail